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(SECRET/NOFORN) SUMMARY: February 24 media accounts of
renewed de-Ba'athification are not new; rather, they
represent the culling of up to 376 MoD and MoI personnel
previously reported in mid- and senior-level personnel
assignments. Many of these personnel movements, however,
arguably are unrelated to de-Ba'athification.

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DE RUEHGB #0521/01 0590718
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TO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
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Content
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000521

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2020
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, PINS, MCAP, IZ
SUBJECT: MOD/MOI PERSONNEL CHURN INDICATIVE OF POLITICAL
POSTURING IN THE RUN-UP TO THE ELECTION

REF: A. BAGHDAD 378
B. BAGHDAD 294
C. 09 BAGHDAD 3295
D. TD 314/0145456-10
E. TD 314/014678-10

BAGHDAD 00000521 001.2 OF 002

Classified By: M-C Cameron Munter for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (SECRET/NOFORN) SUMMARY: February 24 media accounts of
renewed de-Ba'athification are not new; rather, they
represent the culling of up to 376 MoD and MoI personnel
previously reported in mid- and senior-level personnel
assignments. Many of these personnel movements, however,
arguably are unrelated to de-Ba'athification. In an effort to
try to counter public perceptions of fragmented command and
control in the security sector, the Prime Minister has
publicized that he has the power of exception with regards to
Accountability and Justice Commission decisions in the
security sector. The ongoing movements do not appear to be of
concern to the MoD and MoI leadership but are rattling
regional security leaders and masking ongoing Da'wa loyalist
cadre-building in the security and intelligence sector. End
Summary.

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PM spokesperson innoculates MoI, MoD from de-Ba'athification
--------------------------------------------- ---------------

2. (SBU) Government of Iraq spokesperson Ali al-Dabbagh
released a press statement on 24 February that stated "The
Accountability and Justice Commission (AJC) decisions in the
case of the security commanders are subject to exceptions
because they work in the security sectors and are not running
for a public office. In the case of political candidates, the
decision is final and can't be overturned."

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Old wine in new bottle, really same vinegar
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3. (SBU) Defense Minister Abdul Qadir and two prominent
leaders, General Abud and General Hashim are featured in this
re-hashed press report, but they also fall under the category
of mandatory retirees (because they are over age 63) who must
be annually extended to continue serving in the ministry.
Their fates are tied to the election outcome, not
institutional de-Ba'athification in MoD insider eyes. Many of
these personnel moves also are reported by MoD insiders to be
the unwinding of end of administration "deals" for overdue
loyalist retirees; efforts by senior leadership to shield
veteran MoD and MoI Ba'athists whom they consider
non-partisan from worse outcomes than they might otherwise
face; and continued Da'wa party cadre placement by the Prime
Minister's office (ref. A).

4. (SBU) More broadly, MoD and MoI insiders report that
there has been regular shuffling for over a month of mid- and
senior-level personnel being moved around the ministry, often
to appear to be responding to allegations of Ba'athist links,
but with the ordered moves intended to have minimal actual
effects on the identified personnel (refs. A/B). Most in
this category are veteran MoD and MoI Ba'athists whom they
say Ministers Abdul Qadir and Bolani, respectively, see as
relatively non-partisan and worthy of saving from worse
outcomes than they might otherwise face if perceived as left
"unscathed," especially by potential "new management." This
group also is considered essential to the continued normal
Qgroup also is considered essential to the continued normal
functioning of the ministries. In the MoD, some of the
personnel who also might face dismissal were Kurds associated
with the Anfal campaign or the Marsh Arab repression after
the Gulf War, but their ultimate status still is
undetermined. Finally, in the Defense Ministry, there are
approximately 12-15 staff generals who have had sinecures
under the protection of DefMin Abdul Qadir. They have been
awaiting the recent passage of the Military Service and
Retirement Law and reportedly soon will be retired.

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De-Ba'athification more of a regional concern than in Baghdad
--------------------------------------------- ----------------

5.(SECRET) According to press reports, the name of MG Aadel,

BAGHDAD 00000521 002.2 OF 002

the Basra Provincial Chief of Police (PCOP), also appears on
the de-Ba'athification list. However, MG Aadel told USD-S
that he has not heard anything from the MoI about his
possible replacement. Similarly, the media is reporting that
the PCOPs in Wasit and Muthana are also included in the AJC
list. One of the most prominent IA leaders in Southern Iraq,
the 8th IA Division Commander and commander of the
mid-Euphrates Operations Command, sLTG Uthman, is also on the
de-Ba'athification list. Uthman and his officers recently
told USD-S that they considered this latest
de-Ba'athification move to be political interference with the
ISF.

--------------------------------------------- ----
But some commanders fall victim to Shi'a politics
--------------------------------------------- ----

6.(SECRET) Per multiple reports to U.S. Embassy Baghdad and
PRT officers, the division commander for the Iraqi Army Sixth
division in Baghdad is in the process of being removed and
staff Major General Sa'ad in Maysan Operations Command has
already been removed. While Ba'athist links may be cited in
their removals, their transgressions are reported to be more
closely linked to political missteps in the eyes of Prime
Minister Maliki.

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NIIA now seeing Dawa cadre arrival
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7.(SECRET/NOFORN) As we have noted elsewhere in the Iraqi
intelligence community in refs. A-C, the Prime Minister is
seeding Da'wa loyalists into the National Information and
Investigation Agency (NIIA). The current Deputy Director of
NIIA, MG Hasan Kaokaz, was placed by the Prime Minister in
October. Additionally, Deputy Minister Hussein Ali Kamal has
indicated that 58 Da'wa party members (NFI) have been placed
in the NIIA (refs D-E). Furthermore, there are about 125 NIIA
personnel on the de-Ba'athification list per the Deputy
Minister. Comment: We do not have conclusive evidence that
the 125 personnel are part of the 376 person MoD/MoI list,
although we find it probable. End Comment.

8. (C) COMMENT: The press releases regarding
de-Ba'athification come at a time of heightened tensions due
to the first round of de-Ba'athification. De-Ba'athification
has become a significant campaign issue especially in the
south where rival Shi'a parties are engaged in intense
political competition. The cloud created by the AJC report
also masks both MoD and MoI instinctive institutional
self-defense behavior and Prime Minister Maliki's ongoing
Da'wa cadre seeding of security posts. Since the politically
linked command changes are corrosive to Iraqi Security Force
command and control integrity and unit readiness, we will
continue closely watching MoD and MoI personnel movements and
the net effect on national security. End Comment.

HILL